Cynthia Smoot
A Glittering Mix Of Charity, Chiles, And Celebrity Brought Major Heat, And Even Bigger Heart, To A Night Dedicated To Conquering Cancer
By Cynthia Smoot Photography By Omar Vega
THE SCENE: The Farrah Fawcett Foundation’s Tex-Mex Fiesta 2025 was more than just a star-studded evening… it was a heartfelt celebration of life, legacy, and the ongoing fight against cancer. This unforgettable night unfolded under the open skies of Texas at The Rustic in Dallas, where guests gathered in the spirit of compassion, remembrance, and determination to carry forward Farrah Fawcett’s powerful mission.
The evening kicked off in true Texas style with a Mariachi band, margaritas, and mingling, followed by a vibrant Tex-Mex dinner that delighted the palate with bold flavors and regional favorites.
THE VIBE: Hosted by the Farrah Fawcett Foundation’s event co-chairs Linda Gray, Jaclyn Smith, and Alana Stewart, honorary co-chairs Perry Henderson and Joan Schnitzer Levy, the philanthropic evening began with margaritas and a mariachi band, followed by a Tex-Mex dinner where legendary philanthropist Eugenia “Gene” Jones was honored.
The evening concluded with a performance by Grammy Award®-winning, multi-platinum country music singer and songwriter Martina McBride. Notables in attendance included Donna Mills, George Hamilton, Morgan Fairchild, Libby Hunt, Anne Stodghill, Chuck Steelman, Sheree Wilson, Jerry and Gene Jones, and Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott.
THE NON-PROFIT: Named after the iconic actress, the Farrah Fawcett Foundation raised funds to benefit Stand Up To Cancer® and the American Cancer Society’s Dallas Cattle Baron’s Ball to fund Hope Lodge®. Stand Up To Cancer® is a leader in cutting-edge, collaborative cancer research, which was important to Farrah.
This year, the Farrah Fawcett Foundation and Stand Up 2 Cancer® will collaborate on an Innovation Summit that brings together the best thinkers in HPV-related anal and oropharyngeal cancers to present state-of-the-art research on how these cancers are caused, how to detect them early, and potential new treatments. Based on the learnings at the Innovation Summit, a Request for Applications will be developed and launched. The Foundation will commit one million dollars to fund selected research, with a focus on anal cancer.
The American Cancer Society is a leading cancer-fighting organization with a vision to end cancer as we know it, for everyone. For more than 100 years, they have been improving the lives of people with cancer and their families as the only organization combating cancer through advocacy, research, and patient support. They are committed to ensuring everyone has an opportunity to prevent, detect, treat, and survive cancer.
